Stenciling apparatus



July 9, 1940.,

J. E. yMcLAucal-ILIN ET Al.

STENCILING APPARATUS Filed sept. 27, 193B 8 sheets-sheet 1 NNN..

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July 9, 1940 J. E. McLAuGHLIN ET Al. 2,207,351

` STENCILING APPARATUS n Filed Sept. 27. 1938 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 BVM 7 l ATTO Ys.

July 9, 1940.

E. MLAuGHLlN ETAL STENCILING APPARATUS Filed sept. 27. 1938, e shets-sneet s ATTOR S` July 9, 1940.1 E. McLAuGHLlN lEr Al., 2,207,351

` STENCILING APPARATUS Filed` Sept. 27. 1938 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENToRs JEMLa July 9, 1940.\ J. E. WLM-1mm E1- Al. 2201,351

sTENcILING APPARATUS s sheets-sheet e Filed Sept. 27, 1938,

' f NVENToRs JEMLQ 1g/din BYA kclrson M f A T July 9, 1940 J. E. McLAUGHLlN 'er A1. 2,207,351

STENCILING APPARATUS Filed 'Sapp 27, 1938 s s neesneet 7 July 9, 1940. .1. E. McLAuGHLlN ET Al.

STENCILING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed sept. 2v, 1938 a4/All i. Y

vINVENTOR.

IEMQLaugbZz'n Patented July 9,

UNITED STAT The present invention r decorating, lettering, or o curved surfaces of articles s and the like by a stenc vitreous enamel composition or p il screen by d is thus forced properly oriented horizontal stencil screen positie ing station;

John E. McLaughlin, son, Wood. River,

Illinois Glass Company a as PATENT olf-Flor.:I

STENCIIJNG APPARATUS Alum, and Albert s. .mklll., `assignors to Owenscorporation of Ohio Application September 27, 193s, serial No. 231mmy iling process aint is forced the comms.

elates to apparatus for therwise marking the uch as bottles, jars wherein a ectv of the invention is to proparatus which is fully-autowhich will receive the recumbent position for decorative contact with a ned at a decorata convey the bottles, properly oriented,

to the decorating station; elevate the bottles from A still further provide such an tlesprior to their vide an apparatus of the charac in which means is pro the conveyor into decorative contact with the screen to receive the decoration;

@a orated bottles to the conveyor; lconvey the decorated bottles through an uprig .the bottles are brought into an and nally discharge qa conveyor similarly orie orations thereon from when moved from the apparatus.

Another object of the inve of the type set forth above and effective means for fac .of the bottles into the appara for cooperation with restore the dechting zone wherein upright position; the bottles onto a take-out nted as regards the decce they may be rention in an apparatus is to provide a novel ilitating introduction tus properly oriented the stencil screen.

object of the invention is to which there is inghting the bot discharge from the apparatus. Yet another object of the invention is to pro- -In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front principles of the elevational view of ance with the e event that ng station for decorative ter set forth above vided for preventing decw orating material from being forced through' the screen interstices in th presented at the decorati contact with they screen. Y

Other obj ects" of the invention, enumerated, will become apparen no bottle is not at this Itime t hereinafter.

a stenciling Fig. 2is a rear' elevational view thereof;

Fig.

uprighting zone;

. Fig 4 is an enlarg the 3 is an enlarge of the apparatus taken in the vicinity d fragmentary top .plan view off th ed sectional'view taken sub-v line` 4 4 of Fig; 2 with cerbeing shown in elevation; l

(Cl. 1011-124) n located at a decorating station D.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line .6;i of Fig. 2;

, Fig. l isI a sectional view taken' substantially l along the line 1-1 of Fig. 1; l Fig. 8 is a side elevational View of the structure shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view takensubstantially along the line 9-9 of Fig. 1; L l0 Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken-substantially along'the line IU-I of Fig 1,;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line lI-Il of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view showing the operative relation between a screen actuating cylinder, a control valve thereto and au mechanically operated actuating valve for the control valve when the screen is in one extreme position;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 12

showing the arrangement of parts when the screen is in its other extreme position;

Fig. 14 is an end elevational view of the control valve diagrammatically represented in Figs. l2 and 13;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line iii-'l5 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken substantially. along the line iB--i of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view showing the operative relation between certain valve operated chucks and the control mechanism therefor;

Fig. 18 is a perspective view, enlarged, of one form of cradle unit employed in connection with the present invention;

Fig. 19 is a longitudinal vertically throughthe cradle 18:v

Fig. 20 is a4 sectional view taken substantially along the line 2li-2B of Fig. 19; and

Fig. 21 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line Zi-Zl of-Fig. 19.

I Bam? Dnscmrlon Briey, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus involves in its general organization a wheeled frame or carrier 2|l upon.which there is mounted an endless conveyor 2i carrying a series of article holding units or supports 2.2 which are adapted to manually receive thereon in a horizontal or recumbent position bottles B or other-similar articles at a receiving station R and convey the same in succession beneath aset of decorating instrumentalities including a-ste'ncil screen 23 The conveyor substantially sectional view taken unit. shown in Fig.

bottles.

2| is adapted to periodically be indexed in stepby-step fashion by means of an indexing mechanism 24 located'at one end thereof and suitably connected to a'motor M by means of which .all of the operative moving machine instrumentalities are actuated.

An orienting mechanism 25 located atthe receiving station R facilitates proper orientation of the bottles B manually on the units 22 for accurate location of the decorations thereon with respect to the usual mold seams which occur at` diametrically opposed points on the bottles.

Means are providedfor elevating the horizontal bottles from the units 22 at the decorating station D into contact with the 'screen and for simultaneously reciprocating the latter to apply the desired decorations to the curved sides of the After application of the decorations the bottles are conveyed by the holding units 22 through an uprighting zone U wherein the units 22 are tilted through an angle of ninety degrees and the bottles carried thereby become uprighted. After the bottlesy have become uprighted, they are discharged iromthe units 22 onto a conveyor 26 located in a take-out zone T from which they may be manually removed from the apparatus.

THE INnnxrNa MEorraNIsM 24 rca 'ma Couvrzvoa Referring now to Figs. 1,2 and 5, the motor M is connected through a gear reduction device 30 'to a horizontal drive shaft 3| which in turn is connected through bevel gears 32 to a second shaft 33 at right angles thereto. The shaft 33 thereto a bell crank lever 33, one arm of which is attached to the-connecting rod 35 land the other arm of which carries an actuating pawl 4|l (Fig.

1) for a ratchet wheel 4| keyed to the conveyor shaft 35. The number 'of teeth provided 'on the ratchet wheel 4| and the throw of the connecting rod 35 are regulated solthat upon continuous rotation of the horizontal shaft 33, the holding units 22 on the conveyor are advanced inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 in stepby-step fashion from the receiving end of the conveyor to the discharge end thereof foroperative advancement of the bottles through the machine.

Tim` Borna Homriva Uma 22 m sn .I Y

In Figs. 1 to 1,1 inclusive a simplified form of bottle holding unit 22 is disclosed. In Figs. 18 to 21 inclusive a modied form of adjustable holding unit 22' is shown.

The units 22 are best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 and each comprises a' base plate 42 which is supported on .and bridges the conveyor chains 33, Hingedly connected to and normally overlying the base plate 421s a tiltable plate 43 which carries at opposite ends thereof a neck cradle 44 and a base cradle 45 across which a bottle B is adapted to be loosely supported in the manner indicated. A cam roller 45 carried at the forward end of the tiltable plate 43 is designed for cooperation with a pair f raus 41 and as (Fig. 1.)

by means of which the various positions of the -tiltable plate 43 during the uprighting operation are controlled. 'I'he rail 48 underlies the conveyor 2| coextensively and serves to support the weight of the tiltable plate 43 when the units 22 are inverted and are returning empty to the receiving station R. A pair of rails 25 which are coextensive with the conveyor 2| serve to support the weight of the conveyor chains 35 and cradle units 22 as the latter move from the receiving rzone R. to the take-out zone T.

The modified adjustable units 22 are similar in. their general construction to the units 22 insofar as the base plate 42', the tiltable plate 43', and the tilting means 45' are concerned. The neck and base cradles 44' and 45 respectively, however, are of, an adjustable nature, the former consisting of a pair of diverging movable arms that are capable of swinging movement to. ward and away from each other by'means of an adjusting screw 5| and the latter consisting of similar arms 52 likewise adjustable by means oi' a screw 53. The arms 52' are provided with opposed holding protuberances 54' which prevent dislodgment of the base of the bottle from the holding units 22' due to machine vibration or to natural acceleration of the units at the commencement of each indexing operation. The neck cradle 44 is adjustable on the tiltable plate 43 toward and away from the base cradle 45' by means of clamping bolts 45'.

Tm: Onrnmrna MlwHANrsn 25 'I'he bottles B are introduced into the machine two at a time by an operator stationed at the receiving station R. One bottle is placed in each of two adjacent holding units located at the forward end o f the machine and the axial position of the bottles is determined by means of a guide bar 21' against which the bases of the bottles are brought to bear. For proper centering of the decorations on the bottles, particularly where multi-color decoration is resorted to, it is necessary to commence application of the design or lettering a predetermined fixed distance from one of the bottle seams.. Since, as will appear presently, the stencil screen 23 is adapted to act upon successive bottles brought to the decorating station D in opposite directions, it is necessary for the operator to introduce the bottles of each pair at diiferent angular positions respecting the seams thereof. Toward this end the orienting mechanism 25 is provided.

Referring now to Figs. l Iand 2, the orienting mechanism 25 includes a pair of pivoted arms 55 and 55each having adjustably secured thereto an extensible' pointer. adapted to overlle adjacent holders 22 at the receiving station R. and indicate the angular position which the bottle seams should assume when apair of bottles are placed in the holders. The arms 55 and 55 are connected together above and below their pivot l points by means of a link 55 while a connecting rod 55 eccentrically connected to a disk 55 driven from the conveyor shaft 35 at the receiving end of the conveyor 2| serves to impart' oscillatory movement to the arm 55. Thus it will be seen that the free ends' of the arms 55 and 55 periodically move toward and away from each other in Tm: Dmon'rrnawlusrnuulm'rm'rms (a) Tlresqueegee and screen assembly 'I'he decorating instrumentalities (Figs. 1, 2, 3

, and 4) at the decorating station D are mounted on a superstructure 6| on the carriage 20 4and include the reciprocable stencil screen 23l and a relatively stationary squeegee 62 therefor by means of which vitreous enamel placed on thev screen is forced through the interstices thereof and onto the surface of a bottle which is maintained in tangential rolling line contact with the screen therebeneath. The screen frame 63 to which the vscreen 423 is attached -is mounted for both vertical and longitudinal adjustment at the forward side of a screen carriage 64 whichis in turn mounted in guideways 65 provided bythe superstructure 6| for horizontal reciprocation therein. Limit stops 66 mounted on the superstructure limit the extent of reciprocation of the carriage and determine the extreme positions of f the screen.

' clear the vitreous enamel on the screen 23 in The squeegee 62 is pivotally suspended from. a

holder 61 adjustably mounted medially of a tiltable vsqueegee arm 66 which is pivoted to a rock shaft 69 'carried in ,a 'istation'ary bracket 1| mounted on the superstructure 6|.v A pair of squeegee elevating cams 12 secured to the carriage 66 near opposite ends thereof are adapted to engage the squeegee arm 66 as the carriage approaches either of its extreme positions and raise the arm sulciently to cause'the squeegee 62 to accordance with usual stencil screen practice.

( Control mechanism for reciprocating the y -screen Referring now to Figs. 2 and 12 to 16 inclusive, the control mechanism for reciprocating the screen 23 includes a screen actuating cylinder 15 in which there is disposed apiston 16 provided with a pistonrod 11, the free end of which is connected to a'depending bracket 18 (see also Fig. 4) mounted on the screen' carriage 64. Thus it will be seen that upon reciprocation of the piston 16 in the cylinder 15, reciprocation of the carriage 64 will be effected. Movement of the piston 16 is caused by means of an actuating valve 19 comprising a' casing .80 having a valve member 6|' slidably disposed therein. Opposite ends of the cylinder 15 are connected by means of conduits a and b having pressurereduclng valves therein, to ports 92 and 83 respectively provided in the wall of the valve casing 60. The casing is providedv with exhaust ports. 84 and an intake port 66 which 'communicate with a branch conduit c leading from a conduit d connected to an air pressure tank 81 mounted on the carriage 20. It will be seen, therefore, that when the valve member 6| is in the extreme position shown in Fig. 12, air under pressure passes from the tank 81, through conduits d'and c, ports 86 and 62 in the valve 19, Iand conduit a, to one end of the cylinder 15 to actuate the piston 16 and reciprocate thestencil screen 23 in one direction. Likewise, when the valve member 8| isv in the extreme position vshown in Fig. 13, air under press.

sure passes from the tank 81, through the conduits d and c, ports 86 and 83 in the valve 19',

and conduit b t6 the other end oi. the cylinder 16 to actuate the piston 16 and reciprocate .the screenA in the other direction.

Shifting of the' valve member 0| in the casing 60 of the actuating valve 19 is controlled by means of a mechanically actuated control vali/ F Vlili.v

The' control valve '66 is best illustrated in Figs. 14 to 16 inclusive and comprises an outer casing 89 and an inner rotor 90. Ports 9| and 92 extending through the casing 69 communicate with t e atmosphere. Ports 93 and 94 in the casing 9 communicate 'with'` conduits e and f leading to the opposite ends of 'the casing 60 ofthe actuating valve' 19. The rotor 90 is adapted to be periodically indexedthrgugh an angle of ninety degrees and is so designed that upon successive yindexing operations thereof communication betwen the ports 93 and 9|, and the ports 96 and 92'is alternatelyestablished. Branch conduits, g and h lead from the conduit d to ports 96 and 96 in the casing 69. Upon successive indexing operations of the rotor 90, air is admitted through the valve 06 alternately to the opposite ends of the valve casing 60 through the separate paths provided iirst by the conduits d and a, ports 95 and 94, and

conduit f, and secondly, by the conduits d and h,

Iports 96 and 93, and conduit e. I The mechanism for indexing the rotor of the control valve 66 is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 14.,

A rock shaft |06 suspended below the carrier 20 is `oscillated from the shaft 3| by means'of a disk |0| mounted -on the latter and to which there is connected an eccentric linlimechanism |02.y Motion of the rock shaft |00 is transmitted through a link |03 to a ratchetand pawl mechanism |64 mounted on the rotor shaft |05 and including in actuating pawl |06 and a holding pawl |01.

(c)` Mechanism -for elevating the squeeyee in the absence of a bottleat the decorating station Referring now to Figs. l and 4,'a` horizontal arm ||0 4is adjustably secured to a standard mounted on the superstructure 6| and overlies the squeegeearm 66. A `solenoid H2 suspended from the arm I0 has its movable core I3 slidably connectedtov the squeegee arm 66 and is adapted upon energization thereof to elevate the arm 68 andlift the squeegee 62 out of contact with the screen 23.' Energization of the solenoid ||2 is eected by the closing of a switch H4 Fig. 1)

which. is actuated by a gravity arm H5 under which the holding-units 22 and bottles therein pass. The arm H5 normally rests upon the successive bottles passing therebeneath but, in the absence of a bottle on any particular holding unit, the arm H5, having vno support, moves downwardly by gravity and closes the switch ill, thus energizing the solenoid and raising the squeegee 62 out of contact with the screen.

TmcV Bo'rrLn ELnvA'rrNc ann SUPPoB'rmo CHUcKs Upon indexing of the conveyor 2i, the bottles B are successively Vmoved on the units 22 to a position beneath the stencil screen 23. A guide bar 20 cooperates with the guide bar 21 in hold- ,ing the bottles against axial shifting on the units I 22 as the'bottles approach the decorating station D. In order to elevate the recumbent bottles B periodically brought to the decorating station D into contact with the stencil screen 23 and to maintain the same' in tangential rolling line contact therewith, a `rotatable\tapered head chuck;

||6 (Fig. 4) anda rotatable and axially shiftabie 'recessed base chuck ill are disposed at opposite The base' chuck ||1 is mounted on one end oi Ca, hollow rotatable shaft III supported in -a bearing il! carried by the superstructure 5| and through which bearing vacuum is applied to the chuck from a branch conduit m (see also Fig. 1'1) .j leading from a conduit n that communicates with a port |20 provided in the casing |2| of a mechanically actuated piston valve |22. 'Ihe casing 2| of the valve |22 has its lower end open and is provided with a port |23 that communicates 1.,' with a conduit o connected to a vacuum tank |24 mounted on the carrier 20. 'Ihe valve piston |25 is connected'through a piston rod |26 to an actuating lever |21 mounted on the rock shaft |00.

The head chuck ||5 is mounted for sliding.

1|I movement toward and away from the base chuck and is carriedv at one end of a piston rod |23 carrying a piston |29 enclosed in a cylinder |30. A coil spring |3| disposed in thecylinder normally urges the pistonA |29 and rod |28 in one n direction to move the chuck I5 to a retracted' position. A port |32 provided in the cylinder |30 communicates with a branch conduit p leading from the conduit n. v

Movement of the rock shaft is so timed n with the various phasesof machine activity that immediately after each indexing operation of the `conveyor 2|, the piston |25 is lowered in the cylinder 2| of the valve |22 and vacuum is applied simultaneously to th cylinder |30 to move the head chuck ||y into engagement with a bottle B and to the base chuck ||1. Such application of vacuum to the cylinder and base-chuck is effected through the conduit o, ports |23 and of the valve |22, conduit n and the conduits m and p respectively. After the decoration has been applied to the bottle, the piston is raised in the cylinder |2| and both thev cylinder |30 and base chuck ||1 are bled to atmosphere through the respective conduits m and p, conduit n, and port |20.

The shaft |18 has mounted thereon a drum |45 (Figs. 2 and 4). A cord |45 passing around the drum |45 is attached at opposite ends thereof to a pair of depending brackets |41 mounted on the carriage 54. Thus, it will b e seen that as the screen 23 moves in either direction the chuck ||1 is positively rotated and the bottle B carried thereby is caused to make tangential rolling line contact with the screen 234 in accordance with usual stencil practice.

Tm: Buma Uraroa'rrnc AND DrsoHsnorNo MacnnNIsu Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and '7 to 11 inclusive, the rail 41 which cooperates with the rail 43 in controlling the tilting movement of the tiltable 'plate 43 is provided with an upwardly inclined portion |35 in the uprighting zone U and with a sharp downwardly inclined portion in the take-out zone T. As the holding units 22, withthe decorated bottles B thereon, move progressively from the decorating stationl D toward the uprighting zone U, front and rear guide rods |31 and |33 prevent axial shifting of the bottles in the neck and base cradles 44 and 45. As the holders 22 proceed through the uprighting zone U, the cam rollers 45 ride upwardly on the inclined portion |35 of the rail 41, thus progressively tilting the plates 43 which carry the neck and base cradles' 44 and 45. A neck guide rod |4| prevents the necks of the bottles from leaving the neck cradles prematurely during the uprighting operation. The bottles B are therefore gradually brought to an upright position, passing n through the stages indicated in Figs. 7 to 11 in- Y elusive. To prevent thebottles from sliding by gravity out of the cradles 44 and 45 during the uprighting operation, the rod |38 is inclined 4, downwardly and cooperates with a guide rod |39 -mechanism |40 (Fig. 5) from-the conveyor shaft 35 at the discharge end of the lconveyor 2|. The bottles B upon becoming upright are deposited upon the, conveyor 25 by gravity and are aligned hereon by the rod |39 which is extended horizontallyat one side of the conveyor. The bottles B may be removed from the conveyor 26 manually as soon as they have been deposited thereon but in the event that they are not promptly removed, the cam rollers moving downwardly on the inclined portion |35 of the track 41, cause the tiltable plates 43 to be restored to their normal horizontal position in order that the neck and base cradles 44 and 45 may clear the bottles before rounding the end of the conveyor 2|. A portion of the rail 45 overlies a portion of the rail 41 to guide the rollers 46 by coniining .them to a restricted narrow path of movement.

Modifications may be restored to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus for decorating the cylindri- 30 cal sides of articles, decorating instrumentalities including a horizontally reciprocable stencil' screen, means for reciprocating the latter, a support adapted` to receive thereon an article to be decorated in a recumbent position', means for 35 moving. the support from a receiving station to a position beneath the screen, means for effecting decorative cooperation between the article and screen when the support is beneath the latter, and a pointer disposed atthe receiving station designed for cooperation with the mold seam or `moving the support from a receiving station to a position beneath the screen, m eans for effecting decorative cooperation between the article and screen when the support is beneath the latter, a movable pointer disposed at the receiving station designed for cooperation with the mold seam or other indicating mark on.. the article to facilitate proper orientation of the article when the latter is placed on the support, and means for shifting the position of the pointer upon each reciprocation of the screen.

3. In an apparatus for decorating the cylindrical sides of articles, decorating instrumentalities including a horizontal reciprocable stencil screen, means for reciprocatingthe latter, a conveyor, a plurality of supports on the conveyor adapted to'receive thereon the articles to be decorated, means for-indexing the conveyor to move the supports successively from 4a receiving station to a position beneath the screen, lmeans for effecting decorative cooperation between the screen and articles on the supports when the latter are beneath the screen, and a pair of movable pointers disposed at the receiving station and de signed for cooperation with the mold seams or cent supports to facilitate proper orientation of y cal sides of articles, decorating the articles when the latter are placed on the supports.

4. In an apparatus for decorating the cylindriinstrumentalities including a horizontally reciprocable stencil screen and a relatively stationary squeegee normally in contact with the screen, means for reciprocating the screen, a plurality of supports adapted to receive thereon articles to be decorated, means i'or moving the supports successively vfrom a receiving station to a position be- Death the screen, means for eiiecting decorative cooperation between the articles and screen when the supports are disposed beneath the latter, and means for elevating the squeegee out of contact with the screen in the absence of anarticle on a support beneath the screen.

5. In an apparatus for decorating the cylindrical sides oi' articles, decorating instrumentalities including a horizontally reciprocable stencil screen and a relatively stationary squeegee normally in contact with the screen, means for reciprocating the screen, a plurality o! supports adapted to receive thereon articles to be decorated, means for moving the supports successively from a receiving-station to a position beneath the screen, means tor eiecting decorative cooperation'between the articles and screen when'I the supports are disposed beneath the latter, and

electromagnetic means for elevating the squeegee out of contact with the screen in the absence of anv article on a support beneath the screen.

6. In an apparatus for decorating the cylindrical sides of articles, decorating instrumentalities including a horizontally reciprocable stencil screen and a relatively stationary squeegee normally in contact with the screen, means for reciprocating the screen, a plurality of supports adapted to receive thereon articles to be decorated, means for moving the supports successively from a receiving station to a position beneath the screen, means for eecting decorative cooperation between the supports are disposed beneath the latter, a solenoid having a movable core connected to the squeegee and adapted upon energization' thereof to elevate the squeegee outof contact with the screen, a switch for energizing the solenoid, and an arm connected to the switch and overlying the supports when the latter are disposed beneath the screen and adapted to be engaged by the articles on the supports to prevent actuation ot the switch. v

JOHN E. MCLAUGHLIN.' ALBERT S. JACKSON.

articles and screen when thel 

